San Diego State U Launches Sustainability Degree Program
San Diego State University's (CA) College of Arts and Letters has announced a new bachelor's degree in sustainability that will launch in fall 2012. The new major will prepare students for careers in sustainable business, public policy, sustainability education and other fields.
U California Board of Regents Urged to Lower Tuition
Students and faculty members recently addressed the University of California's Board of Regents to discuss the state's budget problems and gradual retreat from supporting higher education, reports a recent Chronicle of Higher Education article. Held by teleconference to hear public comment, people urged board members and administrators to support the "ReFund California Pledge," which calls for raising taxes on the wealthiest Californians, closing tax loopholes and lowering tuition.
U California Irvine Humanities Bldg Earns LEED Platinum
The University of California, Irvine has earned its first LEED Platinum building certification with its Humanities Gateway building. Sustainable features include high-efficiency elevators and a California Cool Room that has a system of reflective coatings to minimize heat reflection.
U Florida Office Building Earns LEED Gold
The University of Florida's East Campus Office Building has achieved LEED Gold certification. Thirty percent of the building's materials feature recycled content and nearly 97 percent of on-site construction waste was diverted from landfill.
U Florida Removes Plastic Foam from Dining Halls
The University of Florida has eliminated plastic foam products in its Gator Dining locations. By replacing plastic foam cups and to-go containers with paper-based products that are compostable or recyclable, the university expects to save 24,000 pounds of waste from the landfill per year.
U Maryland Launches Environmental Council
The University of Maryland has created the Council on the Environment, which will draw on researchers and faculty from different departments to seek out new transdisciplinary research opportunities involving multiple campus units, and promote economic development related to environmental initiatives. Internationally, the council will interface with a new 10-year initiative on Earth System Sustainability, which aims to deliver knowledge to enable societies to meet their sustainable development goals in the next decades.
U Maryland Launches Green Office Program
The University of Maryland has started rewarding offices on campus for sustainability efforts through its new Green Office Program. The voluntary initiative is designed to generate campus-wide results by increasing sustainability consciousness on a personal level. After completing a checklist of five items including a green office pledge, an environmental audit, and the appointment of a green office representative to oversee sustainability efforts, participants can choose to pursue a gold, silver or bronze level of certification.
U North Dakota Pilots Project to Reduce its Use of Coal
The University of North Dakota has announced a pilot project to reduce the use of coal at its campus power plant by 10 to 20 percent using glycerin, a product originally derived from canola oil. The university has partnered with Benchmark Energy Corp., which is planning to build a local plant that can refine up to nine million gallons of glycerin a year. The university will purchase 45,000 gallons of glycerin a month during the pilot phase.
Utah State U Debuts 33.5 kW Solar Array
Funded in part through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, Utah State University has installed a 33.5-kilowatt photovoltaic solar array. The system includes 108 modules integrated into the architecture of the building and will be monitored through an online interface.
U Tennessee Knoxville Incentivizes Reusable Mugs
With the goal of keeping 100,000 single-use cups out of the landfill this year, the University of Tennessee at Knoxville has launched the campus-wide Mug Project. Dining locations across campus are offering a discount on any beverage for those that bring their own reusable container in place of the standard single-use cups.
U Texas San Antonio Installs 170 kW Solar Research Grid
The University of Texas at San Antonio has installed a 170-kilowatt solar grid, split between two roofs on campus. In addition to generating power for 10 electric vehicle charging stations, data collected from wireless monitoring of the grid will be used to provide insight on how cities might use solar power to meet a larger portion of electricity demand. The university expects to save $86,000 a year in electricity costs.
U Texas San Antonio Solicits Student Campus Sustainability Ideas
The University of Texas at San Antonio, with support from the United Negro College Fund's Institute for Capacity Building, has launched a contest that invites students to submit implementable and sustainable ideas toward campus sustainability efforts. Winners of the "Campus Greening Idea Contest" will receive prizes including $1,500 for first place.
U Winnipeg Achieves LEED Silver with 2 Buildings
The University of Winnipeg (MB) has earned LEED Silver certification from the Canadian Green Building Council for both its McFeetors Hall: Great-West Life Student Residence building and Students' Association Daycare Centre. Both buildings feature aerator faucets, dual flush toilets, energy recovery ventilators, occupancy sensors and energy-efficient light fixtures. Eighty percent of the construction waste was recycled or salvaged.
White House Gathers College Leaders to Address Affordability
Inside Higher Ed reports that President Obama has called the leaders of 10 colleges and state university systems to a "highly unusual" meeting at the White House to discuss affordability and productivity in higher education. "Amid an increasing focus on student debt and college prices, the event seems to signal that the Obama administration will make those issues a focus going into the 2012 campaign," says the article. The guest list is drawn largely from public institutions and includes leaders of large state systems, public universities, a statewide community college system and two private institutions.
Yale U Names New Sustainable Food Project Director
Yale University's (CT) Sustainable Food Project has appointed Mark Bomford as its new director. Bomford, who previously led sustainable food efforts at the University of British Columbia, will lead the Sustainable Food Project's campus organic farm and educational programs.
Appalachian State U Unveils New Compost Facility
Appalachian State University (NC) has opened a new compost facility to create landscaping mulch and divert food-prep waste from the area’s landfill. The facility can handle up to 275 tons of materials, including meat scraps, compared to the 100-ton capacity of the university’s former system. The system also has the potential to take post-consumer waste in the future.
Aquinas College Expands Composting, Recycling Efforts
Aquinas College (MI) has announced expanded campus composting and recycling programs. With bins now at every collection location on campus, all food waste can be composted including meat, bones and dairy products. The college has also streamlined its recycling efforts with one bin (single-stream recycling) at each location.
College of William & Mary Selects Green Fee Projects
The College of William & Mary’s (VA) Committee on Sustainability has announced the recipients of the fall 2011 Green Fee awards. Including water bottle refill stations and a community garden, the 12 winning proposals were awarded a total of $64,380. The committee also invested $40,000 of this year’s Green Fee revenue to the college's green endowment.
DOE Awards Funding to St. Joseph’s U for Green Roof Installation
Saint Joseph’s University (PA) has received funding from the U.S. Department of Energy to install a green roof and host homeowners' workshops for the public. Through a series of mini-workshops, participants will have the opportunity to tour the university’s green roof system and learn about stormwater management techniques including rain gardens, rain barrels and meadows.
Georgia Tech Launches Bike Share Program
Georgia Institute of Technology has partnered with ViaCycle to launch a new bike sharing program. The program will allow students, faculty and staff to purchase short-term bike rentals using their cell phones. Five drop-off locations have been installed across campus.
Jamestown CC Debuts Green Science Center
Jamestown Community College’s (NY) new science center has achieved LEED certification. The 26,762-square-foot facility features a rainwater harvesting system that provides water for flushing toilets, greenhouse plants and a drip irrigation system for the vegetative roof garden. Additional sustainable features include passive solar design, permeable pathways and a wetland habitat restoration space.
Mission College Dedicates 1.1 MW Solar Power System
Mission College (CA) has installed a 2,640 solar panel array totaling 1.1 megawatts. The 1.5-acre parking lot canopy structure will generate approximately one-third of the college’s electricity demand and reduce electricity costs by $8.5 million over 25 years.
Norwalk CC Opens Green Science, Health and Wellness Center
Norwalk Community College (CT) has debuted a new Science, Health and Wellness Center with green features including double-pane windows glazed to reduce emissions, compact fluorescent lighting, and controls that sense occupants. The building has saved the college $79,300 in utility costs since its August opening.
Point Loma Nazarene U Installs Solar with Student Green Fees
Financed by its Student Green Fund, Point Loma Nazarene University (CA) has installed two new solar systems. The two projects - a 620-kilowatt photovoltaic system and a 54-kilowatt solar thermal hot water system - are expected to save the university up to $1.6 million over the next two decades.
RIT Partners for LED Upgrades, Fellowship Program
To reduce its electricity and maintenance costs, Rochester Institute of Technology (NY) has partnered with Trans-Lux Corporation to install energy-efficient LED lights in place of fluorescent tube lighting on campus. The partnership will also support a fellowship program for students interested in developing new applications for LED technology.
Santa Clara U Student Center Earns LEED Gold
Santa Clara University’s (CA) Paul Locatelli Student Activity Center has achieved LEED Gold certification. Built in 2010, the 16,284-square-foot building integrates energy-efficient features like trellises and overhangs to reduce direct solar gain. Additional sustainable features include the use of permeable walkways and low-emission materials during construction.
U California System Gifted 4,584 Acres of Research Forest
The University of California system has received a land donation of 4,584 acres of forest in the Shasta and Nevada counties. The donation will allow the system to nearly double its research forests, conserving a swath of the Northern California watershed to investigate how forest ecosystems respond to climate change, increased fire risk and invasive species. Students and the public will also be able to access the areas.
U Michigan-Flint Installs Water Refilling Stations
The University of Michigan-Flint has installed two pilot water bottle refilling stations. If successful, the university hopes to replace a quarter of the 68 water fountains on campus. A student, inspired by a petition to ban plastic bottles on the University of Michigan's Ann Arbor campus, initiated the project.
U Missouri Debuts Closed Loop Compost System
The University of Missouri's College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources has launched the “Zero Carbon Footprint Vegetable and Compost Production System.” The closed-loop system will combine food waste from the dining halls and animal manure from the university’s local research centers to create compost. The construction of the 2,400-square-foot facility was funded by matching grants of $35,000 from Campus Dining Services and the Mid-Missouri Solid Waste Management District.
U System of Maryland to Purchase Wind Farm Share
The University System of Maryland has announced plans to purchase 20 percent of a wind farm that will result in about 100,000 megawatt hours of energy per year. Through a partnership with the Maryland Energy Administration and other state agencies, universities across Maryland are working to become carbon neutral by 2050, a goal they set as signatories to the American College & University Presidents' Climate Commitment (ACUPCC).
U Utah Awarded Federal Grant for Electric Transit Bus System
As part of $100 million in grants to promote innovative and clean-fuel transit projects, U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood has announced a $2.7 million grant to the University of Utah and Utah Transit Authority to implement a campus electric transit bus system. Based on technology developed by the university's Energy Dynamics Laboratory, the future fleet of electric shuttles will wirelessly recharge through underground electric pads as they wait for passengers.
Yale U Receives $5.5 M for Reforestation Program
Yale University's (CT) Environmental Leadership & Training Initiative (ELTI) for Biodiversity Conservation in Tropical Forest Regions has received a six-year, $5.5 million grant by the Arcadia Fund to continue its work in Latin America and Southeast Asia. Aiming to restore tropical forests and the livelihoods that depend on them, the program trains environmental managers and local decision-makers to support conservation efforts where forests have been cleared and exploited.
Baylor U Launches Green Meeting Certification Program
Baylor University’s (TX) Department of Sustainability has launched a Green Meeting Certification program, which seeks to make on-campus meetings more environmentally friendly. Departments can apply for certification online and receive environmental scores ranging from “bronze” to “green” that are valid for one year. The website lists methods to reduce waste such as electronic communication, recycling, reusable utensils and saving leftover food.
Building Upgrades at Merced College to Save $180K Annually
Merced College (CA) has partnered with Honeywell for energy-efficient campus building upgrades that will be used as a real-world case study for teaching students conservation strategies. The 15-year, $3.1 million performance contract includes the installation of energy-efficient lighting and upgraded heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems in 16 campus buildings that aim to reduce annual operating costs by $180,000. Sustainability interns will track the resource usage in each building and develop a newsletter to update the campus community on the program's progress.
Carleton College Installs Second Wind Turbine
Carleton College (MN) has installed its second wind turbine. The turbine will provide power directly to the college’s electrical grid and is expected to provide one-third of the annual energy needs of the campus. The installation was made possible by a gift from two alumni.
College of Marin Receives Grant to Expand Organic Farm
The California Community College chancellor’s office has awarded a $233,000 grant to the College of Marin (CA) to expand the regional teaching organic farm laboratory into a self-sustaining, expanded farm production operation. With the help of more than $200,000 in matching grants, students will have access to expanded core curriculum and a new certificate program.
Cornell U Shifts to Single Stream Recycling
Cornell University (NY) has announced a switch to single stream recycling to help reduce landfill waste and increase the cost-efficiency of waste handling. The university hopes to see a five percent increase in recycling across campus.
Cornell U Students Call for Transgender Friendly Bathrooms
In support of the transgender community on campus, Cornell University's (NY) Student Assembly has passed a resolution that calls for the conversion of every single-stall bathroom on campus to a gender-neutral facility. The resolution, which will now go before administrative bodies on campus, also prescribes the inclusion of gender-neutral bathrooms in all future university buildings.
Duke U Awards First Green Workplace Certifications
Duke University (NC) has awarded five office units with its first Green Workplace certifications. Recognizing work areas that formally assess how they are reducing their environmental footprint, the certification process includes a checklist of sustainable practices ranging from double-sided printing to using eco-friendly dishwashing soap in a break room. A work area that follows at least 40 of the checklist's 57 items can apply for certification and permission to post the Duke Green Workplace seal in its office and on materials.
Edinboro U Unveils Solar Array, Energy Kiosks
Edinboro University (PA) has unveiled a $1.16 million array of solar panels that will partially power the McComb Fieldhouse, where most of the university's sporting events take place. The array is expected to produce 251,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity each year. Students and staff will be able to monitor the energy produced through two kiosks installed in the Fieldhouse and Cooper Science building. The project was partially funded by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection and the U.S. Department of Energy.
Goshen College Begins Fitness Center Solar Panel Installation
Goshen College (IN) has begun a solar panel installation to heat the water for its recreation and fitness center. Members of the Sun Shower Collective, consisting of students, faculty and staff, began planning the project in the fall of 2008 and expect to complete the installation by the end of this year. Individual donors and a grant from the Ecological Stewardship Committee funded the project.
Grand Valley State U Plans Electric Vehicle Charging Stations
Grand Valley State University (MI) has announced plans to install five dual and two single electric vehicle charging stations. The stations will be provided by Chargepoint America, a regional effort led by the West Michigan Strategic Alliance and West Michigan Energy.
Hobart and William Smith Colleges Powered Solely by Wind
Hobart and William Smith Colleges (NY) has announced a partnership with a renewable energy marketer and developer to supply all of its electricity needs with wind energy. The college will purchase Renewable Energy Certificates equal to 100 percent of the campus' electricity use, which will be matched annually with wind energy entering the electricity grid in the U.S. The effort is expected to offset the equivalent of about 8,275 metric tons of carbon dioxide per year.
MIT Debuts 'Reverse Vending Machine'
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology has partnered with Greenbean Recycling to pilot a Reverse Vending Machine. Students can type their phone number on a touch screen and deposit recyclables into the vending machine to be sorted for recycling. A bar-code reader inside counts the number of deposited items and uploads the data to the Greenbean website. Students can track their progress online and engage in friendly competition with fellow classmates on a recycling leaderboard. Greenbean is also offering prizes and other rewards to help increase recycling rates among students.
Oberlin College Music Conservatory Awarded LEED Gold
Oberlin College's (OH) new music conservatory has earned LEED Gold certification. Completed in 2010 for $15.5 million, the 37,000-square-foot Bertram and Judith Kohl building was designed to achieve an energy performance 50 percent beyond the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) baseline. It features a geothermal heating and cooling system, and a green roof for stormwater management. Construction materials were regionally manufactured and sustainably harvested, and 90 percent of the construction waste was transported to a local recycling facility.
San Francisco State U Awarded $1.1 M from Department of Energy
San Francisco State University (CA) has received a new five-year grant from the U.S. Department of Energy totaling $1.1 million for the continuation of the School of Engineering's Industrial Assessment Center. The center provides students with training to improve the energy efficiency of manufacturing plants with a focus on reducing carbon footprints, conserving energy and cutting costs.
Student Debt, Rising Tuition Protests Heat Up in U.S. and Canada
A recent story in The Christian Science Monitor profiles the wave of protests on U.S. college and university campuses that are being held in solidarity with Occupy Wall Street. With rallies and walk-outs from classes, students are protesting rising costs of tuition, student debt and weak job prospects. Stating that students at more than 120 institutions have participated in protests so far, the article compares the galvanizing issue to the civil rights and Vietnam War student protests of the 1960s. On the West coast, the University of California, Davis was home to one of the most controversial incidents as students staging a peaceful sit-in were pepper-sprayed by police officers. Students at the University of California, Berkeley who were setting up an Occupy tent city on campus were beaten and arrested by police in riot gear who broke up the encampment. On the East coast, protesters from the Occupy Boston movement, local unions and area colleges marched with the message that higher education is becoming too costly for all but the privileged. Roughly 50 New Jersey City University faculty, staff and students also rallied in protest of state cuts to higher education and the high cost of student loans. In Canada, tens of thousands of university students in Quebec recently demonstrated against a proposed tuition increase of $325 a year over a five-year period. Tuition fees have been frozen for 33 of the past 43 years in Quebec. The planned hike would provide the province with $850 million more in operating revenues. Students boycotted classes during the largely peaceful protest.
SUNY Oswego Creates New Sustainability Minor
The State University of New York, Oswego has approved a new sustainability minor to provide students with greater knowledge and experience in environmental issues and the growing job market related to sustainability. Requirements include core courses in geology, economics and political science.
